Anything for ya
by persevera
Summary: Originally titled Afterglow-Damian finally says it...and says it and says it. Both he and Emily sacrifice for the other-This was the reason Emily fought her feelings and his. The girl he loved was revealing to his best friend the pain she hid from him
1. Wanted

a/n _For anyone linking to this story from tumblr, this is the fourth in a series, the Damily Opus. Order got reversed in posting. The first story is Need You Now._

_Request reviews. Damily is fun and emotional to write since they both have such big personalities: happy-go-lucky Damian discovering his passion with outwardly formidable, but actually delicate Emily. It's good to know others appreciate it_

Emily awoke to the sound of whistling and smell of coffee. Damian was approaching the bed, bearing a cup for both of them, wearing his boxers and a smile.

"Good morning, gorgeous," he greeted her. She stretched and responded "Hey, hottie."

He settled next to her on the bed. "I love waking up with you," he said.

Emily grinned. "There are a lot worse things," she agreed.

Damian looked mischievous as he added, "Do you know what else I love…the chance to see my file."

He suddenly hopped out of bed and ran across Emily's apartment to her desktop computer in the living area.

"No, Damian," Emily protested, throwing on his shirt that she saw on the floor, as she padded over to where Damian had already settled himself in front of the monitor. "It's too embarrassing, like electronic gushing."

He rubbed her leg as he answered, "It shouldn't be embarrassing. You know I'm at least as crazy about you, as I hope you are about me. I just want to see what about me impressed you. Show me... please."

"I could just tell you," she said.

"But this is the information age, baby" he reasoned. "Say it with data."

Resignedly, Emily opened the file marked The Damian Project and said as she tried to walk away, "okay let your ego go crazy."

He pulled her down to sit between his legs in the large padded chair that Emily used for her desk. "I want you to look at it with me, explain what's here. For instance, what is 'Modern Day Mr. Darcy?"

Emily opened that particular folder to show a still shot of Damian from the fifth episode of the Glee Project, wearing tall yellow rain boots. She explained "Did you ever see the movie Pride and Prejudice, with Darcy wearing the riding breeches and boots that emphasized his lo-o-ng thighs? That's what you in these boots reminded me of. And your being a stage man," she said turning to see his face, "trained to dress for reaction, I can't help but think that you knew it was a quirky but good look for you."

He winked in response.

She smiled knowingly and shifted slightly so she was sideways, with her legs dangling from across his leg. "No sense in looking at the emails. You already know them."

He shook his head slightly and said "I still don't understand why you didn't just contact me. We could have built up a slow communication-like you did with Samuel."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I had no idea what was really going on with you. For all I knew, you and Cameron were actually a couple."

He rolled his eyes at the suggestion.

"Besides," Emily added mischievously, "by enlisting Bryce and Sam, I had backup if you rejected me."

"Oh ho," Damian said, "what about Matheus?"

"Sure, I love Matheus," she answered, "and I would have needed a lot of comfort if you'd said no."

Damian shook his head more vehemently. "That wouldn't have happened."

"That almost did happen," she reminded him.

He wrapped his arms around her and looked directly into her dark eyes. "Understand this. I was taken by surprise by your proposal and I didn't handle the response well. But there was no way Samuel or anyone else was going to take you away from me that morning. I would've wrestled you both to the ground, put you behind me and dared Sam to try to get through, if I'd had to."

This time Emily rolled her eyes. "Well thank goodness it didn't come to that," she said, returning her gaze to the computer screen.

Damian began slowly running his lips along her face and nuzzling the side of her neck. "What's 'It's my cute little tongue thing, dammit'," he asked.

She opened that folder to show the clip of all the contestants in the third episode, gathered in the rec room. "This was when you and I were having our silent communication about Lindsay's chattering and right here, you do the thing with your tongue against your teeth, see? Then the camera cuts to Cameron as if you were directing that to him. But he was on the other side of the round sofa so he wouldn't have seen it. It's **my** cute little tongue thing, dammit."

"Well if it helps," Damian offered, "I have plenty of tongue for you now."

"Against your teeth," Emily instructed, doing the same with hers. They allowed the exposed parts of their tongues to touch and shivered a little at the unusual sensation.

"So, are these the video clips that convinced you I might be worthy of you," Damian asked, pointing to a group of YouTube folders.

Emily answered, "I wouldn't put it like that but, yes. These are the videos that Alex sent me. This one is my favorite."

She opened the file of Damian, in a brown suit, with his signature loosened tie, singing Hold On.

Damian watched himself for a moment and chuckled. "You're so easy. All I have to do is stay in the first couple of octaves, and you're like putty in my hands. I guess I do seem more mature and swa-vay here," he said with a little surprise.

"Yummm," Emily responded, with her lips pressed to his cheek.

He pointed at one entry in the comments section. "You read Spanish. What does it say," he asked her.

"I love Damian McGinty," she answered.

Damian stared for a moment at her profile then said "Say it again."

She turned to face him then said precisely "The girl wrote 'I love Damian McGinty.' As you can see, that's what most of the hundreds of comments say. Those poor things would kill to be where I am right now."

He cupped her face in his hands and said "They're girls with a crush. You're a woman, with the man you've turned me into, who can't get enough of you."

Between kisses he said, "Come to L.A. with me. I don't want to leave you here."

"That's awfully impetuous for you," she observed.

Kissing her more ardently, Damian explained. " I have to be able to be normal around you. Right now my heart beats almost double time when I'm this close to you. I need to become familiar with you. And after the misunderstandings last week, we need more time together. Come on," he continued. "I'll take you to Disneyland, the beach, one of those cheesy tours of movie star homes, anything. I just want you with me."

Emily responded. "All I really want is for you to show me the area where you live and to go to Mass with you tomorrow. I wouldn't want you to miss it because of me."

Damian stopped as realization set in. "So you'll come," he asked excitedly.

She nodded, saying "I have to be in Oregon on Tuesday anyway to meet with the Hope's Voice people, so I can just go there from your place, if you want me there that long."

The huge smile on Damian's face indicated his….glee.

He rose from the chair and, leading Emily by the hand, moved to the coffee table where his phone was. He grinned down at the message from Alex from the previous night and showed it to Emily.

"I think we lived up to his expectations," Emily said laughingly.

Damian smirked and nodded in agreement. He hit a button on speed dial and instructed that he needed two flights from LaGuardia to LAX within the next two to three hours. "Buzz me back with details," he said.

To Emily he explained. "I chose LaGuardia because you went to the LaGuardia Fame high school, didn't you?"

"That's right," she said, delighted that he knew that.

"You're so talented," he said, kissing her again. "You can sing and dance too," he said teasingly. "Do you want me to sing you to bed again? I take requests."

Emily said, "just pick another song from your 'what will make Emily twinge file.'"

Damian thought for a moment, pulling out another classic from the low register...

_Wise men say, only fools rush in_  
><em>But I can't help<em>  
><em>Falling in love with you<em>

The phrasing allowed for kissing every couple of words without interrupting the flow of the tune. Damian was struck by the truth in the lyrics. He was definitely falling in love with Emily but knew she wasn't ready to hear it. So he proclaimed himself in song.

Her reaction indicated that the deep tone of the song, if not the words, had had their desired effect.

Just then Damian's phone buzzed. He looked at it with hostility and asked Emily, "Can you be ready in 45 minutes?"

"Not from underneath you, I can't," she said, struggling to get up from the bed.

Damian rolled off of her with reluctance and frustration.

She jumped up then said from the bathroom. "I'm just going to take a quick shower then you can if you'd like."

"Oh no," Damian said, rising and moving to the bathroom, "I'm not missing out on a shower again. This time we'll take it together."

He pulled back the shower curtain and saw Emily naked and dripping. "Wow," he said, "I didn't even think to say I wanted wet Emily. But I do now," he added, climbing into the old fashioned bathtub to take her into his arms.

She gave him a quick kiss and said "I'm sorry, Damian. I have to get ready."

She jumped out and walked to the door trailing water, as she'd failed to get a towel.

Damian watched her and said "What's that expression? Hate to see you go but love to watch you leave." He literally licked his lips with those words.

Emily stopped in the doorway and threw a seductive smile over her shoulder before continuing to her closet.

Damian watched until he couldn't see her, turned the cold water on full force, and surrendered his fevered head and body to the icy spray.


	2. Noted

Some members of the Wolf Pack, Damian's California crew, entered the apartment he shared with Cameron and heard unmistakable sounds of sexual congress coming from behind Damian's bedroom door.

Cameron shook his head in impatience, Bryce and Matheus, who knew Emily, nodded approval. AJ and Heath didn't know Emily but their opinion of Damian rose with each pretty little squeal, moan and gasp that they heard from the other room.

They were all discreetly heading for Cameron's room when the noises stopped so they took seats in the living room, continuing the conversation they'd been having before their arrival.

Damian and Emily, having already gotten dressed before Damian had decided he wanted to "push the button" a little more, walked through the door.

Damian felt a momentary tension in Emily, who realized the young men had heard her many exclamations of ecstasy, then he felt her armor.

"People I know and love," she said flirtily, approaching the group. She touched Cameron on the arm with a "hi, Cam" then wiggled into the space between Bryce and Matheus on the couch, put them both in a headlock and gave them resounding kisses on the cheek.

"And people I don't know," she added, turning her gaze to the other two.

Damian made the introductions, explaining that they were Lindsay's boyfriend and brother.

Emily flipped her hair and said "I'll have to see my girl while I'm here. It's been so long. Don't tell her you saw me. I want to surprise her. So," she continued, "does your group have a name?"

"The Wolf Pack," they answered in varying degrees of macho. Her smile was plastered on her face.

Damian watched her in admiration and amusement. "Don't let her fool you. She has a lot of information. I bet she knew that's what we call ourselves."

She conceded with a small nod and more genuine smile. "I knew. I just wanted to see if any of you would say it," she finished with a giggle.

She turned her attention to Cameron. "I thought it might be fun to have some Texas barbecue tonight, with maybe a couple of New York tweaks. What do you think?"

"Sounds good," Cameron said, his reserve melting a little under the force of Emily's appeal.

"Excellent," she said. "We were going out so do you want us to get the groceries or do you want to do it yourself to make sure it's done right?"

Cameron grinned. "Yeah, I'll take care of it." He got a pad and pen from the end table and began writing a list.

"So will all of you be staying for food tonight or go and come back, maybe bring a girl or two," Emily asked.

They nodded in assent.

"Yea, this will be fun. And remember if Lindsay's coming, please don't tell her I'm here. I want it to be a surprise."

She walked out of the apartment and Damian followed, for the benefit of the guys raising his fist in triumph. Bryce threw a cushion at his back.

"Ho-o-w-w," Heath began in gaping astonishment. "You don't get something like that just because you have an accent."

Bryce lifted his eyebrows slightly, explaining, "Alex says they meet a need in each other. You saw and heard for yourself that they're pretty compatible."

"So who's going shopping with me," asked Cameron.

Emily and Damian walked hand-in-hand through the neighborhood, making small talk.

They went in Damian's favorite coffee bar for a snack. The pretty barrista, who was older than Emily and with whom Damian had been flirting until just a couple of weeks ago, reluctantly took their order.

They sat down at a small table in the back of the room that was nearly empty after the breakfast rush. Emily began rubbing Damian's leg and nuzzling his neck.

"Uh," he began, "it's not a big public but it's still public."

"I like PDA," Emily said sassily. "It almost feels like a public service, reminding people what they should be doing."

She leaned closer and whispered in his ear "Is there something I can sing to you to make you twinge….or its equivalent? I'm just trying to find your button that I can push even when you're fully dressed to make you moan and your eyes roll back in your head."

"Well it's going to be obvious to everyone when you do," Damian said, fidgeting uncomfortably.

Emily grinned. "A good seductress knows just how far to go."

He moved her hand between his legs. "I think you might have underestimated yourself this time," he said.

She gave a small chuckle and looked him directly in the eye. "I knew what I was doing. No one has paid any attention, except the woman at the counter, who hasn't taken her eyes off of you since we got here. Do you two have a past?"

Damian looked at her a tad resentfully and shook his head no.

Emily lowered her eyes. "Well, I think she'd been hoping for a future, until now.

She placed her hand on the side of his face. "Just sit here and finish your coffee. I'll take care of the check and leave a big tip then go to the restroom. When I come back, you should be mobile again."

She gave him a small kiss on the lips then got up from the table.

Though still angry, Damian watched her cross the room and watched others in the room eyeing her and felt proud to be with her.

When she returned he was able to stand and walk out without embarrassment.

He grabbed her hand and pressed it against the small of her back. "Don't do that to me again, just because you can." he said. "You know what a powerful effect you have on me. I don't like being out of control like that around people."

Emily looked up into his face and didn't like seeing that expression directed at her. "I'm sorry," she said contritely. "I was just staking my claim but it wasn't nice of me. If I promise I'll never put you in a compromising position again, will you forgive me?"

He nodded and draped his arm around her shoulders as they continued their stroll.

Emily was thoughtful. "The mad Damian ," she said, "has a powerful effect on me. He can put me in my place and make me humble. I woudn't have thought anyone could do that"

Damian grinned and squeezed her shoulders, the anger gone as he felt the more vulnerable Emily at his side.

Emily rushed through the open air market to the flower stall. "These yellow roses will be perfect for Texas night," she exclaimed.

Damian caught up with her and asked, "You're not trying to win over Cameron, are you?"

She raised her thumb and forefinger to indicate a little bit.

Something caught Damian's attention and he told her to meet him at the next stall when she concluded her purchase.

"I wanted to give you this," he explained when she came up to him. It was a delicate pink orchid.

"I know you can't take it on the plane so I'll keep it here for you. Every time I see it, I'll think of you and it will get the most loving attention. When you come back, I promise you it will be thriving and beautiful. And hopefully some day you'll be close enough that I can hand it over to you."

Emily looked at the flower in wonder then looked up at Damian with almost the same expression. Her movement toward him felt beyond her control. "The romantic Damian," she said dreamily, "who gives special presents and knows just what to say and do. Thank you. I love it."

Before she said more that she might regret, she raised her head to kiss him.

Despite his earlier reproof of her for being too affectionate around others, he grabbed her and kissed her almost desperately. They were interrupted by a gasp from two teenage girls standing in front of them.

"I knew it was you," the brunette said. "Can we get a picture, Damian?"

Emily stepped back a little so that Damian could accommodate his fans. The blonde looked over at her and yelped "you're Emily from the Glee Project, aren't you? Oh my God, are the two of you together now?"

Emily looked at Damian. "You have a higher Q rating than I do. Handle it however you want."

Damian leaned closer to the girls and said "Yes, Emily and I have recently started seeing each other but we're not ready to go public yet so I need you two to keep our secret. If you do we'll send you an exclusive picture of us when we do 'come out'," he said with air quotes.

Emily watched him charming the girls and felt a surge of deep affection. "I think we can do something for you right now," she chimed in. "My brother's a hair stylist so he can get discounts on beauty products. If you want to give me your email addresses, I'll see what I can do. We all love swag, right? And we have to maintain the virginal Rory image, which obviously isn't the case if he's with me," she finished with a sly smile.

The girls nodded, dumbfounded at their luck. "Now remember…you're part of Team Damily now," Emily said, "pinky-sworn to secrecy," she added, holding up her smallest finger.

They all performed the secrecy ritual and Damian posed for pictures and kissed both of the young girls. He looked at them seriously and said "I'll be very disappointed if I see or hear about this online."

They promised again not to reveal anything and Damian's disarming thank you ensured that they would take the secret to their graves, if necessary.

When they left Damian looked down at Emily. "That was a great idea, offering the beauty products and making them part of a pact. You're so clever."

"It wouldn't have worked if they hadn't been so dazzled by you. We make a good tag team," she concluded.


	3. Voiced

In a novelty shop Emily bought a couple of Texas-themed items and she had a t-shirt customized, which she presented to Damian.

On the front it said Happy Soul and on the back My Career is My Girlfriend.

"I get smart-ass Emily," Damian said, holding up the shirt and turning it around.

"You get all of Emily," she answered. She became serious as she explained "I was a little worried about you when you said that on the TV show in Ireland. It felt like you were reverting to your old way of thinking that you had said you didn't want anymore."

"Is that clip in my file," he asked.

"Yep, in a sub-file marked Everything Else Is Just Everything Else, which is in a folder entitled He Needs Me, Or Someone Like Me," she said.

He gave her a penetrating look. "You were right the first time."

To break the gaze Emily gave Damian the bulk of the items in one large bag and she carried the orchid and stepped out of the store.

She was walking a little more quickly now. "Did you shoot your PSA for Haiti in this area," she asked.

He said no and asked her what she was doing with the Hope's Voice people.

"I have a couple of engagements for them this Tuesday and Wednesday," she explained.

Damian set the packages down on a bench. "So you'll be back Thursday?" he asked.

"No," she said. "I'll fly back to Manhattan from there. I need to get ready."

"Get ready for what?" he asked suspiciously.

Emily sat down on the bench. "I'm going to South America this weekend. I have public appearances and performances lined up for the next ten days and, hopefully, it will stretch out into more. I'm really excited about it. I have a good fan base across the isthmuth…ithmuth…in Thouth America, she finished with a laugh.

Damian didn't laugh. "How long before I can see you again?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know…two weeks, maybe three."

He was beginning to look angry. "And you're excited about that long a separation," he asked.

"I'm excited about the work, obviously," she said. "I have to go where I'm wanted and, compared to the reception I get in the states, I'm loved down there."

"You're loved here," Damian stated emphatically.

He held out his hands and pulled her to her feet, fixing her with an intense stare. "You're loved right here."

Emily suddenly felt herself lifted from her feet into a crushing hug. Damian brought his lips down hard on hers.

"We're going to get caught again," she said breathlessly, looking around at the passers-by and trying to free herself from the lock of his arms.

"I don't care," Damian said, kissing her lips, face and neck, "I'll tell anyone. I love you, Emily."

He felt the change in her, the donning of her armor, as she pulled away and said, "No you don't. We're just really infatuated with each other. Maybe my being gone for a few weeks will help you get over that."

He looked down at her disbelievingly and put his head in his hands, as he turned and moved away a step and said in a rush "Ahh, you're killin' me woman."

Emily sat back down, at a loss for words or action. Damian watched her as he contemplated what he would say next.

He sat next to her. "I'm not gonna lie to you. I am infatuated. I'm still in awe that I get to touch you. But there's so much more than that too. In the past week when I didn't know from one day to the next how you felt or what the hell you were doing, I had to….examine my own feelings. How much I'm willing to go through and risk for how much reward."

He lightly rubbed her hand and arm and continued "I know you've been hurt a lot and it's made you defensive and untrusting. As hard as it is for normal people to understand, you doubt how incredible you are or if you're even worthy of love."

His caressing moved up her arm to her shoulder and neck. "Dealing with that won't be easy. It will be maddening. But I'm not running away from it."

He placed his hand behind her neck and touched his forehead to hers. "I'm willing to do whatever you need to be happy and secure—help you in your career if I can-anything, because in the end, I'll have you."

He wrapped his arms around her and placed her head under his chin. "You're the reward. So if you're excited about being away for two or three weeks and bringing an entire continent to its knees, I'm excited for you."

This was probably the longest Emily had gone without speaking, certainly without responding to statements made to her, but she felt entranced.

Damian lifted her chin and looked directly into her face. "You know you're going to miss me," he said softly. "Surrounded by all of those beautiful, bronzed people, you're going to be thinking of the pasty Irish kid who loves you."

"You're not pasty," Emily interjected, returning her head to the comfortable spot below his chin.

He grinned and continued "You're going to be so happy when I cross the isth-mus and find you. I can't go two or three weeks without seeing you and feeling you. And I won't. I'm greedy and I get what I want."

A twinkle came in to his eye as he suddenly pushed her away from him just a little and said "And what I want is for you to shut up. When I tell you I love you (and I'm going to tell you a lot) I don't want you to argue or shake your pretty head or say stupid things like time away from you will get me over you. No amount of time will do that. I don't **want** to get over you. I love you. "

Emily shifted uncomfortably at that but managed not to say anything.

The mean streak in Damian was out again. After the number of times she had for her own reasons resisted expressing her feelings to him, he liked seeing her struggle with them.

"I want you to get used to hearing it so you can believe it," he explained. With his mischievous smile he asked her "Are you ready for your first love bomb?"

She looked at him quizzically as he moved closer and began to croon "I love you, Emily. I love you so much."

"Not enough," he thought to himself, "what can I add to break her defenses?"

With no one close enough to hear, Damian began his final assault on Emily's armor by singing

Take my hand, take my whole life too  
>For I can't help falling in love with you<p>

As he finished Emily dropped her head onto his chest, completely unnerved.

"It's okay, love," Damian said. "I know how you feel. I just wish I could have been there before those others complicated things for us. Then again, I probably wasn't in puberty yet."

She brought her fist down on his chest in a gesture of frustration.

"But I'm here now…and I love you," he finished with a kiss.

Raising her from the bench he said "Let's go. You have a barbecue to save."


	4. Prepared

By the time Damian and Emily returned to the apartment, she had recovered her sass and vivacity. She rushed in with the bag, exclaiming "Oh, Cameron, the barbecue smells so good. Wait 'til you see what else we got for the party."

She placed the roses on the table, which Cameron gave a thumbs up.

"I got cards for Texas Hold 'Em and Damian invited some of his castmates so we get to see them try to play this little table tennis game, and this should be fun," she enthused, pulling out a rolled up paper and handing it to Cameron.

Cameron unrolled it to reveal a large map of Texas, except there was something missing. He looked at her questioningly.

"The Panhandle is missing," she explained. "I got the guy at the store to cut it off then make a lot of copies of it so we can play Pin the Panhandle. We'll put on a blindfold and spin around, just like when we were kids, and see who can come closest to pinning the Panhandle where it's supposed to be on the map."

Over her head Cameron and Damian exchanged an amused glance.

"And," she continued, "I got a roller shade that we can attach it to so it will be easy for everyone from you to Matheus to play."

Cameron smiled at her enthusiasm. "It's a cute idea. Here," he said, taking a red marker from the end table, "I'll mark where it's supposed to go so we won't have any geography arguments. You ready to help with the food," he asked her.

While Emily and Cameron went to the kitchen, Damian readied the room for the party, setting up the map and table tennis games and creating an area for card-playing.

He happily listened to their conversation as they perfected the barbecue.

"You're adding cinnamon?" Cameron asked. "I am cinnamon," answered Emily.

She then asked him "what did you use for the sweet…brown sugar, molasses….?" "Molasses," he said.

"How about some honey…honey," she suggested.

After discussing a couple more spices, they both pronounced it perfect.

"We've also got corn on the cob and the makings for slaw," Cameron said.

Emily said she'd take care of the slaw.

Damian walked in then and suggested maybe he could contribute battered chips to add a little Irish to the Texas/New York fusion.

Emily smiled. "Good idea. If Cameron can get your potatoes ready, you can go ahead and change. That'll give the two of us a chance to talk without your interference."

Grinning, Damian left the room. Emily began shredding cabbage and Cameron commenced peeling.

Tentatively, "Emily said "I hope you're not too uncomfortable with my being here for a few days. "Damian said he called from the airport and you had said you wouldn't use your veto against me."

"It's fine," Cameron said, "but I'd appreciate it if you could control yourselves around me."

Still shredding, Emily said "I'll do my best to keep it PG. But Damian's sort of like a little boy with a new train set."

"Cha Cha the Choo Choo," Cameron said jovially.

Emily looked up at him with a tickled expression. "Cameron, I'm surprised at you!"

"Didn't know I had it in me, huh," he said with a laugh.

Still looking up she responded "No, double entendre from an evangelical. What's the world coming to?"

They grinned at each other again and continued their tasks.

"He seems really happy," Cameron said. "I hope he doesn't end up being hurt."

Emily stopped the back and forth motion against the cabbage and said soberly "I wouldn't hurt him for anything. He has me as long as he wants me."

"That could be a long time," Cameron observed.

She returned to the shredding "No, I inspire passion, not devotion. One lasts and one doesn't."

Cameron heard the catch in her voice as she made that statement. "I got the idea there was more between the two of you than that," he said.

She said as she answered "Oh, sure, for now. But eventually a wheel will come off the choo choo or something and he'll be ready for someone else."

Cameron shook his head. "That's not like Damian," he said.

Emily clarified. "He won't be able to help himself. I'm pretty sure the next girl after me will be the one he marries, who will probably be younger, with less ambition, not to mention baggage. And I think he should marry young…before he becomes jaded and cocky over the sheer number of females who want him."

Even though she said it with a little chuckle, Emily couldn't mask the sadness that thought gave her.

Cameron looked at her confusedly. Damian, coming out of his room, stopped short when he heard her then moved a little to the side of the living area so he could listen undetected.

"But you care about him for yourself, don't you," asked Cameron. Emily nodded. "So what are you saying?"

Emily thought for a moment then said "It's hard to say without sounding pathetic so I'll go for full-on melodrama. The slaw might get a little salty. I'm opening Damian's heart so he can give it to another."

Damian, standing against the wall in the living area," slowly slid down and placed his hands against his temples. This was the reason Emily fought her feelings and his. The girl he loved was revealing to his best friend the pain she hid from him.

In the kitchen, Cameron was vicious with his knife on the potatoes. "Why would you put yourself in a position like that," he asked her.

Emily tried to regain her composure. "I didn't do it on purpose. I really just wanted to spend a little time with him so I could stop thinking about him (Damn Alex) but it was more than that almost from the beginning. Besides you're asking me why I would want to be with the sweetest, most adorable person I'll probably ever know, even if it will likely end sadly for me….it's better than any alternative. Ask me to choose between Damian and a rich, handsome 30 year-old, who'll wine and dine me and lie to me and take me for granted, I'll pick Damian every time."

Cameron shook his head slowly. "It could still work out. You could be the only one he wants."

"I think it's too early to start thinking like that," Emily said. "And really, can you see me as a wife and mother, at least not until I'm older and my looks have faded."

He twisted himself so that he was leaning down then looking directly in her face. "I don't see those looks fading for a long time," he said. "And yes, if it's what you wanted, I could see you as a great wife and mother right now. You'd make your family happy, which is the most important thing."

Emily kissed his cheek. "Thank you. That's very sweet of you."

Cameron stood straight again and Emily looked up at him. "Does everyone end up confiding in you?"

"Nah," Cameron said, "I don't encourage it unless I really want to know how someone feels."

She moved to wrap her arms around his waist in a big brother hug. "If you weren't already Damian's best friend, I'd want you to be mine," she said.

"Hands off, Nerd," Damian said, stepping into the kitchen in a mock-menacing tone. "She's mine."

Emily automatically smiled at his appearance in the room.

Cameron taunted him by holding onto Emily longer. "You're the one who said she's impossible not to love," he reminded Damian.

"Oh, you boys are silly," she said. She put the bowl of slaw in the refrigerator and said "Time to get my twang on."

She gave Damian a thorough once-over and, patting his rear as she walked past, said "good look, Darcy."

He smiled after her and watched until the bedroom door closed behind her. Cameron ran his fingers under the water faucet and flicked the excess at him.

Damian grinned and began gathering the ingredients for the batter recipe his mother had just texted to him.

Cameron, still cutting the potatoes, said "You know she doesn't think she's good enough for you."

Damian sighed deeply. "I know. But the truth is, she's too good for me."

Cameron harrumphed. "You don't have to tell me."

Whisking the ingredients in the bowl, Damian said "I don't know how to convince her I'm not going to be looking for someone better, as if there were such a thing. And she's going away for weeks so I'm not even going to have the time to try."

Cameron put the slotted bowl with the potatoes in the sink and gave them a final rinse. "Well you remember what I said about earning what you want. You've got a long way to go to deserve everything she has to offer. There are your chips. I'm going to get ready. Don't touch the barbecue. It's perfect."


	5. Considered

Damian thought about Emily as he heated the oil and dipped his first small batch of chips. He saw his biggest hindrance in his campaign to win her heart and trust being her erratic schedule. No matter what he did during the time he was with her, she would always be going somewhere away from him, where her insecurities could bring on doubts about him. He needed time with her to break through that but she lived on the other side of the country and travelled a lot. He couldn't follow her everywhere she went. It would begin to affect his job.

His job…that he loved, that Emily had wanted too. She should have gone so much further in the competition. They all knew it. He wondered if Ryan had ever regretted eliminating her so early.

The first chips went in to the hot oil. If only Emily would move closer, the other issues could be addressed more consistently. But she was a New Yorker. She wouldn't leave just for him, especially since she didn't expect him to stay interested in her. The move would have to be good for her career too.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts that she was able to snuggle against his back and wrap her arms around him before he was aware of her presence.

"You've got something else sizzling," she said temptingly.

He turned to meet her for a kiss. With the tight outfit she was wearing, he could feel every delectable curve but the chips required his attention.

"Take care of them," Emily said. "We'll just stay right here and make sure none of us overheat."

Damian removed his first batch of chips and added the next to the pan then turned back to an amorous Emily.

"I love you," he said.

Emily didn't say anything, as promised, but couldn't control the tension that she felt at his words.

He found that funny. "You are so cute. How long ago was it that you stopped saying 'I love you too' and instead twitched like a tuning fork if anyone dared say it to you?"

"Don't tease me, just kiss me," she demanded, hopping up on the counter so she wouldn't have to keep stretching her neck to reach Damian, who was at least a head taller than she.

He moved closer to her. "That counter could melt with that much heat on it," he said.

"Chips," she reminded him.

He cursed as he turned his attention to them. The activity gave him just enough time to clear his head and when he turned back to her, he was serious.

"Emily, I heard part of what you said to Cameron," he began.

She was quiet for a second then said "Eavesdropping isn't very noble for an Irishman. It's a good thing I was able to keep myself from asking him to run away with me, which I almost did," she said sassily, in what Damian now recognized as an obvious attempt to sidetrack him from the subject.

Damian wasn't going to allow himself to be distracted. "When I told you before I'm never satisfied and always want more, I meant more of you, not more women. I want what you've never given anyone else…your belief that I'll always love you. If I have that, along with the rest of the Emily package, there's no reason to ever look at anyone else."

Emily laughed nervously. "Yeah, right, hound dog. But unless you're planning to take off with one of your co-stars or Lindsay, it isn't an issue tonight so no reason to talk about it. You have a more immediate problem," she said, wrapping her legs around his torso.

He felt himself being drawn in to her flippancy, despite his intentions to keep the tone earnest. What's that," he asked.

"Chips," she chirped again.

Tending to the food when he wanted to concentrate on Emily was beginning to get on Damian's nerves. He transferred another batch to the pan and Emily pulled him back over for another kiss.

"This is cut-off before Mass," she explained. "We're going in tomorrow hypocritically chaste, or chaste hypocrites. And with everyone here tonight, this is our last chance for deep kisses and running our hands all over each other."

Damian gave in. What could he do, she was irresistible.

Cameron had taken the guest list for the party to the gatekeeper so they wouldn't have to constantly be responding to the buzzer announcing an arrival.

The doorbell rang for the first guest. Damian opened the door for AJ and Lindsay.

Emily jumped down from the counter and ran over excitedly. "It's Snow White," she squealed, giving Lindsay a hug. "And she brought Happy. That's a great smile you have, AJ." She pulled Lindsay with her toward Damian's bedroom. "Come on…girl talk. Chips, Damian."

Lindsay followed reluctantly. In the room, away from the others, she didn't hide her hostility. "What are you doing here," she asked.

Emily shrugged. "I'm just here for a couple of days. How's Hannah?"

"How do you think she is," Lindsay asked. "She's heart-broken."

Emily looked down sadly. "I had no idea she was still carrying a torch for Damian. But I guess I should have known. Look how quickly mine re-ignited."

"You broke the pact," Lindsay said accusingly.

"I wasn't part of the pact," Emily reminded her. "I only know about it from Alex. But isn't there some time limit on it? What if AJ had made it into the final 12. Would that mean that you could never be involved with him? Or what if there had been another gay guy who liked Alex. Would you deny Alex that?"

Lindsay considered those words for a minute then responded "but it's you getting Damian. How do you think Hannah feels about that?"

Emily shyly reached out for Lindsay's hand as she said "Hannah will always know people are attracted to her for herself—her personality and zest, not some…vibe that she's been unconsciously giving off since she was about 11, and has caused more heartbreak than Hannah will ever have. You understand that, don't you?"

Lindsay gave a small nod and stood to leave.

Emily moved to repair her makeup from the tears that she hadn't controlled. "Tell Hannah I love her. And I wish there could have been some way that I could have had Damian without her being hurt."

"Hannah roots for the underdog," Lindsay said. "When she gets over the shock that that's you and not her, she'll start getting better. I never got what all of you saw in Damian anyway," she said as she left the room.

Emily smiled into the mirror. "To each his own," she said aloud "and to me," she added, feeling a sudden twinge, "my celtic thumper."


	6. Earned

Damian moved from one group to another at the party, glad that everyone was having a good time and proud that Emily fit in so well.

It helped cement his resolve to carry out the plan he'd devised.

Emily was settling down at the card table, with a couple of Damian's costars jostling for position next to her, so it was a good time to sneak into his room by himself.

For the second time in as many weeks he began a momentous email, this one directed to Ryan Murphy, himself.

Subject: Casting suggestion

He puffed his cheeks and blew out all of the air and took a big sip from his drink. This was harder than he'd thought it would be. He heard Emily's laughter in the next room, followed by masculine chortles and started typing determinedly.

_I know that the test audiences haven't been receptive to the planned love interest for me, seeming to prefer Lindsay as Harmony, to the other actress, as they like the idea of my being with my former contender. But as we all know, any chemistry between Lindsay and me is more big sister/little brother than anything else. In other words, she likes to boss me around and isn't at all attracted to me. Maybe the audience would accept another one of the beautiful girls from The Glee Project. _  
><em> As it happens, Emily Vasquez is in town working on a couple of projects. I know from what you and Robert Ulrich have said that her elimination had more to do with the belief that she was too similar to the Santana character, rather than any reflection on her abilities. <em>  
><em>It's ironic then that with the story line that developed around Santana this year, her family has become an issue and it makes sense that she have a younger sister or cousin to support her. <em>  
><em>Also I remember your saying in interviews that you wanted to pursue a story inspired by the vulnerability of one of the contestants. Since you've touched on most of the ones represented by us, I assume the one that interested you was Emily's story of being used. Possibly she could play that role for you herself. <em>  
><em>The writers' insights might help her put that experience in perspective so that she could become a better, all-around performer. <em>  
><em> And such an attractive girl taking interest in Rory could help in furthering our goals to make my character more of a lead male in the future. <em>If you're interested in discussing this with her, I'm sure I could get her contact information for you.<em>_  
><em>Naturally I would have preferred suggesting this to you in person but the idea just occurred to me. I look forward to discussing it with you and the writers. Damian<em>

He took another swallow from his glass. He'd either just gotten himself fired or Emily hired. And from the reaction to her from some of his castmates, she might not be with him long. Time to stake his claim…again.

As he walked out he observed a raucous card game and table tennis match, Emily and Lindsay with their arms around each other singing some song about El Paso and a Mexican girl and three or four people in front of the Texas map, arguing about the location of the Panhandle. He joined Emily and didn't leave her side the rest of the night.

As the party wound down, Emily asked Cameron to take some food to the gatekeeper and Damian saw the last of the guests to the door.

He looked back at Emily, who was standing in the middle of the living room. "That was really good, wasn't it," she said happily.

He went to her and spun her around. "That was fantastic," he said.

Later that night after Emily had given him a massage and sung to him in Spanish, she was sleeping like a baby but he couldn't rest. He was worried about Ryan's reaction to his email, whether he was ever going to be able to get through Emily's defenses and, lying next to her after the cut-off, he was sexually frustrated.

He got out of bed and went to the kitchen. He fixed a barbecue slider and some coffee and settled down in front of the television and began to second-guess himself. The question stuck in his head, "Was it worth it?" He couldn't come up with a satisfactory answer.

Finally he decided to go back to bed. The door had been closed long enough that when he opened it, the smells and sounds contained within wafted toward him. He absorbed the perfume of Emily's skin and hair, the soft contented sound of her breathing, saw her stretched out comfortably in his bed, and he had his answer.

As he crawled back in, he noticed a message on his phone, which was lying on his bedside table with the Woody and Little Emily dolls and now the orchid, as well.

_Not saying yes and not saying no but I'm intrigued by the idea. But spare me your "it just so happens" __or "I'll see if I can contact her for you" lines. You might not have been tweeting this weekend but __others have. Just roll over and tell Emily I want to see her Monday morning. Didn't know you had __it in you, kid._

"Yes!" Damian said to himself. Now it was just a matter of Emily's talent and appeal and his luck, all of which were undeniable. He almost woke her to tell her but loved the way she looked sleeping. He'd tell her first thing in the morning. Snuggling next to her he whispered "I love you." His heart leapt when she sleepily murmured "loveyoutoo".

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED


End file.
